


Uh oh the Moose is dead

by ChaoticEmoPigeon



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Noir, Bullying Mention, College, Guns, Knives, M/M, Murder Mystery, Sam Dead, casablanca - Freeform, lots of flashbacks, mild violence, sorry about that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25403008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticEmoPigeon/pseuds/ChaoticEmoPigeon
Summary: After the death of one Sam Winchester, a semi famous detective and his old friend go off in search of the killer.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Destiel
Kudos: 3





	1. Angel

Dean stepped out of his office, cigarette in hand, into the hustle and bustle of the speakeasy below.  
“How are you all tonight?” he asked, raising a hand.  
There was a resounding cheer of ‘amazing!’ for a moment, before everyone returned to their merrymaking.   
Dean was sitting at the bar, making small talk with the waitress, when he walked in.  
Castiel  
Better known as Angel, the best detective in the whole city.  
Dean knew Angel. The only reason he was able to gamble in the bar was because Cas owed him, big-time.  
Dean got up from the bar and walked over to Castiel.  
“What are you doing here?” He said, pulling the detective around a corner “you’re gonna scare away my customers”  
“I need your help on a case” Cas replied, “You might be the only person who can solve it”  
Dean started to walk away “I don’t have time for this”  
“Then make time” Castiel grabbed his arm, “It’s important”  
Dean was a little surprised, but followed the surly P.I out into the alleyway.   
“Angel, what’s going on?” Dean straightened his jacket   
“There’s been a murder” Cas said, dropping Dean’s arm.   
Dean rolled his eyes “there’s a murder every day, Cas, it’s Chicago”  
Castiel hated it when Dean used his real name  
“You don’t understand, Dean, it’s Sam.”   
Dean was shocked “Winchester?”  
“yes” Cas nodded. “He was shot last night in his apartment.”  
Dean turned towards the wall. “And you didn’t call me?”  
“I’m here now” Cas put a hand on Dean’s shoulder, which was quickly brushed off.  
“Who killed him?” Dean’s voice was lacking in emotion.   
“We don’t know,” Castiel sighed “that’s why I need your help. We have a few leads, but we thought you would kn-”  
“I’m in” Dean turned around to face the detective. “I’ll help.”  
“Good” Cas shook his hand “let’s go.”

They hailed a cab and went downtown to Castiel’s office.  
“Hello Meg” Cas handed his hat to the secretary on his way in. “any news?”  
“Hey Angel” The girl replied, taking the hat “Mrs. Harvelle stopped in again. Something about her husband?”   
“Tell her there are no new leads” Castiel ushered Dean into the office and closed the door  
“That girl… she’s-” Dean started  
“She’s a friend” Cas cut Dean off “And I trust her.”  
“But-”  
“That’s all I’m going to say on the matter” Cas sat down.  
Dean took a seat on the other side of the desk “what leads are there?”  
“Just that Sam was caught up in the gang war and could’ve been killed for political reasons.”   
“What political reasons?” Dean scoffed  
“He was Lucifer’s right hand man, Dean” Castiel pulled a file out of his desk “That seems like a decent reason”  
“So you’re saying-”  
“I’m not saying anything” the detective said sternly “Are we going to fight, or are we going to solve this?”  
Dean shut up quick.  
You could hear a pin drop in the room.   
The pair remained in silence for what seemed like an eternity.  
Dean eventually had enough. He got up from his chair  
“Where are you going?” Cas asked “we’re not done”  
“Seems done to me” Dean grasped the door handle “I’m going to see Ruby. if anyone knows what happened to Sam, it’s her.”  
“But-”  
“No buts, Cas, I’m going” Dean shut the door behind him.  
Cas sat at his desk for a total of 30 seconds before getting up and going after him.   
“You didn’t have to come” Dean said, somewhat surprised   
“I’m not letting you go see Ruby alone.” Castiel stated “It’s too dangerous”  
“Are you insinuating I can’t take care of myself?” Dean asked “because trust me Ange-”  
He was interrupted by the fact that he walked head first into a telephone pole.  
“That is exactly what I am insinuating” Castiel sighed.  
He helped Dean up and the two of them rounded a corner into an alleyway.  
“When we get inside, say nothing” Dean grabbed Castiel’s trench coat to keep him from walking in. “she already doesn’t like me, bringing you makes everything worse, so shut your cake-hole”  
Cas nodded. He knew enough about Ruby to know that she wasn’t gonna be happy he was there.  
“Great” Dean let go of the coat. “Let’s go.”  
They entered the quiet alley door and came out into a bustling club, in the center, singing, was a petite, dark-haired woman. She spotted the pair enter the room and glared at them, but continued singing.   
After finishing the song, she hopped off of the stage and maneuvered her way towards Dean and Cas.  
“Oh look, my old nemeses” she put one hand on her hip. “What do you want?”  
“Sam was murdered last night. We’re trying to figure out who did it” Dean said in a monotone voice.   
“Oh yes I heard, very sad” she waved the other hand aimlessly, “what makes you think I can help?”  
Dean shot a look at Cas that seemed to say ‘how did everyone know but not me?’  
“Look, Ruby, we know you know something” Castiel stepped forward  
Dean stuck an arm out and gently pushed him behind him “what he means to say is-”  
“No, you’re right, I do know something” Ruby crossed her arms “I know I want you out of my club”  
“Ruby…”   
“No! I don’t know anything, and if I did, I’m not going to tell it to my ex-boyfriend’s brother and some rookie cop!”  
Dean winced and turned around towards Castiel  
“Let’s get out of here”  
The detective nodded and the pair walked out of the club.   
“That went terribly” Cas remarked, as they walked down the busy sidewalk  
“It would have gone better if you hadn’t opened your trap” Dean grumbled.   
Cas remained silent.  
“There’s one more place we can go” Dean continued “Rufus”  
Cas started to argue but one look from Dean showed him it was futile.  
“Alright, let’s go see Rufus.”

The boys wound up on their old teacher’s doorstep at about 3:30.  
“You got the alcohol?” Dean asked, his hand ready to knock   
Castiel held up the bottle  
“Great”   
He knocked on the door, and after a moment, a surly old black man approached the door holding a shotgun  
“Who is it?”   
“Dean and Castiel” Dean sighed “we need some help.”  
Rufus opened the door “what’s going on?”


	2. Pawn Shop

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys seek help from their old mentor (the only reason it's rufus and not bobby is because Bobby has a different role)

Dean stepped into the ramshackle house, Cas following close behind.  
“Sam’s dead.” Dean said, taking off his hat.  
“I heard” Rufus gestured towards the couch as if to say ‘sit’. “I’m sorry”  
Dean shot Castiel another look “We were wondering if you knew anything about who could have killed him.”  
Dean and Cas sat down and handed the old man his whiskey.  
“I’m sorry” Rufus repeated “I don’t know anything”  
He looked at the boys dejected faces, and remembered something.  
“I do know someone who might, though” He said carefully “Her name’s Bela Talbot. She works at the pawn shop downtown. She used to be caught up with Lilith until her assassination but she’s clean now. She might have what you’re looking for.”  
The pair exchanged expressions and thanked their old teacher. They got up and after receiving precise directions, started off to find Bela.

Bela could see them coming a mile away. She knew that Sam had been killed, so someone had to be hot on her tail. She glanced down at the gun she kept under the register.  
“Stand your ground” She said to herself “It’ll be okay”  
Just then, Dean and Cas stepped into the shop, the bell above the door ringing in an almost alarming fashion.  
“Hello!” Bela put on her most charming smile “how can I help you today?”  
“What do you know about the murder of Sam Winchester?” Castiel asked firmly  
“Who?” Bela thought that maybe playing dumb would get her out of this. “I’m sorry sir-”  
“Listen to me!” Cas slammed his fist on the counter and Bela glanced back down at the gun “I know a liar when I see one, and you know something”  
“Sir-” Bela started to reach for her gun  
“I apologize for my partner” Dean pulled Cas behind him by the trench coat. “He’s not very good with people.”  
“No problem” Bela faked another smile “again, I’m very sorry, but I don’t know anything”  
Dean smiled back “okay then” He turned towards Cas “can I talk to you? Outside?”

“What the hell was that?” Dean asked when they had exited the shop “you can’t threaten the people we’re trying to interview! It doesn’t work like that!”  
Castiel looked up at Dean “which one of us ended up being the professional detective again?”  
Dean scowled “Just because you graduated the academy doesn’t mean you know more than me”  
Cas crossed his arms “I think it does, but still, she does know something”  
“So what do you propose we do?” Dean looked in the shop at the seemingly innocent cashier “that doesn’t involve threatening our best lead.” He added.  
The detective thought for a moment. “Here’s my plan” 

Bela knew they weren’t going to stay outside for that long. If the short one was on to her then it would only be a matter of time before the other one was too.  
“Think” she ducked into the back room “gunshots would be too messy, is there a way to-?”  
Just then, the telephone rang.  
Bela looked over at it, then at the clock. She knew who was calling. He always called at this time. She’d have to say something about the nosy detectives.  
She sighed and walked over to the phone  
“Bela, love, I thought you’d never answer” A familiar accent drifted through the speaker “what’s the report?”  
“Everything’s good here” she said, keeping her eye on the duo outside “a few cops showed up asking about the death of Sam Winchester. I think one of them is that Angel character.”  
“Are they still around?”  
“They’re outside arguing over something” Bela smirked “I can take care of them myself”  
“You will do no such thing” the cold voice replied “I’m sending someone over immediately.”  
“But-”  
“No buts, love, you stay put. We need you for other things.”

“So it’s decided” Cas said  
Dean was a little preoccupied with something around the corner  
“Dean?”  
“We gotta get out of here” Dean grabbed Castiel’s arm  
“Dean what’s…”  
Dean pointed at a white Rolls Royce driving down the street  
“I don’t-” Cas started  
“It’s Crowley” Dean said in a hushed whisper, “You’re a cop. I’d prefer you stay alive, so can we go?”  
“What’s Crowley doing here?” Cas asked as they dashed around a corner  
“I have no idea” Dean pulled him down “someone must have recognized you. I can go deal with them”

Castiel remembered a day like this. Back when he and Dean were both training. They were going to be the best detectives in the world, or that’s what they told each other. In reality, Dean was top of the class, and Cas was picked on by everyone, the teachers, the other students, the only one who didn’t pick on him was Dean. On that day, it had been particularly bad. Cas had come home with a black eye, and despite his best efforts, Dean couldn’t get anything out of him.  
{“You can tell me, I’ll go beat ‘em up for you” Dean said, sitting on the end of the bed  
“I said I’m fine” Cas was holding some ice to his face “you don’t have to do anything”  
Dean got up and sat next to Cas “I’m just trying to help”  
“I don’t need your help” Castiel got up, leaving Dean alone.  
“Fine” Dean called after him “do you need food? I’m going out”  
“I’ll come too”  
They walked in silence down the boardwalk, eating their fries.  
Suddenly Cas put his hand on Dean’s shoulder and nodded towards the beach.  
Dean jerked his thumb at the group of boys and raised an eyebrow.  
Cas nodded.  
Dean moved Castiel to his inside and carefully maneuvered behind a closed hot dog stand.  
“We should be safe here” Dean whispered, as the boys walked by  
“I swore I saw that kid around here somewhere” one of them said “I’m not done with him.”  
Cas was scared. He didn’t get scared a lot, but this time was different.  
“Stay here” Dean put his hand on Cas’s for a second and then got up  
“Hey Dean” one of the douchebags walked over to him “where’s that nerd pal of yours?”  
“I haven’t seen him” Dean walked a little closer to the tall, muscular boy. “Not since you and your little gang here jumped him”  
The tall kid noticed Dean’s stance, but before he could throw a punch, he was on the ground.  
“Anyone else wanna fuck with my friends?” He asked,  
The group looked at their leader on the ground and immediately backed off.  
“I’ll get you for this” said the boy on the ground  
Dean smirked “I'll be looking forward to it.”}

“Cas?”  
“Yes… I’m here… sorry.” Castiel snapped out of his memory quickly. “What’s the plan?”  
“I was kinda hoping you had one” Dean glanced over at the car, which had pulled up to the front of the pawn shop by now.  
“ ‘ello boys” A voice behind them said “it’s been a while”


	3. enter the crowley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys have just been confronted by crowley, but what comes next?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I apologize for the flashbacks, I can't help it

Dean and Cas woke up handcuffed in a dark, locked, storeroom.  
“Dean?”  
“I’m here” Dean struggled against the handcuffs, but couldn’t break free “what the hell happened?”   
“Crowley was a diversion” Castiel said, straining to find his lockpick “there was someone behind us”  
Dean scooted over to Cas and fished the lockpick out of his pocket “here”  
They unlocked their cuffs and stood up.   
“We need a way out”  
Suddenly there were gunshots from the main part of the shop. Cas pulled Dean down to the ground.   
There was a sound of clicking at the door, and after a moment the silhouette of a young woman stood in the doorway.   
“Jesus Christ Angel” She sighed as she put away her gun. “can’t you go a single day without almost getting killed?”  
“Thanks Meg” Cas said, standing up “How did you find us?”  
“Rufus gave me a call” She walked out into the shop, where the corpses of Crowley’s henchmen lay lifeless. “He said you guys went off to the pawn shop and he saw a white Rolls headed in that direction”  
Dean silently stepped out into the carnage “whoa”  
“Yeah” Meg smirked “I went a tad overboard”  
The trio walked outside and hailed a cab   
“So it was Crowley” Dean sat back in his seat “what do we do now?”  
“We get backup and arrest him.” Castiel looked at Dean, confused.   
“But I thought-”   
“Lucifer owns the cops in this town, not Crowley. You know that”   
Dean remained quiet for the rest of the car ride, but when they pulled up to the station and Cas moved to get out of the cab, he tugged the detective down.  
“Something’s not right here” Dean whispered “I think we need to investigate more.”  
“Why are we whispering?” Cas asked “we’re safe”  
Dean nodded towards the window, where a pair of men in gray suits were staring at the car. “I don’t think we are, Angel”  
Meg had left at this point  
“Alright” Castiel closed his eyes for a second. “I don’t think it’s necessary, but I know something bad will happen if I leave you alone, so I’m coming.”  
“Thanks” Dean gave a half smile “what do you say we go to the head of this whole operation?”

{“Ouch” Dean winced as Cas cleaned the cut on his arm “do you have to do it like that?”  
“You were the one who decided to go swimming by the sharp rocks” Cas rolled his eyes. “I told you not to go, and you went.”  
“It huuuuuurts”  
“It would hurt less if you stopped moving” Castiel started to wrap a bandage around Dean’s arm,   
Dean smiled at Cas “thanks”   
“For what?”  
“For helping me”  
Cas turned his head, but he was smiling too “hey, I owe you one.”}

The next morning Dean met his old friend outside the bank.  
“You’re sure?” Cas opened the door of the cab for him.  
“I just want to be careful”   
“Okay.” Castiel got into the car.

They found themselves outside of MorningStar industries around Eleven.   
“Here goes nothing” Dean muttered as he stepped through the door.

“I’m very sorry about your loss” Lucifer was a surprisingly approachable man in his mid-50s wearing a white suit. “Your brother was very close to me.”   
“We’re just trying to figure out who killed him” Castiel said, shooting a look at Dean, who was about to open his mouth “do you know anything?”  
“Again, I apologize, I don’t know anything.” Lucifer faked a grim face “I wish I could help, I really do”  
“Where were you that night?” Dean leaned in a little  
“Uh- routine question” Cas added after seeing the shocked look on the mob bosses’ face. “We just have to know”  
Lucifer seemed to relax “well, if you must know, I was at picking out flowers. My daughter’s getting married, you know.”   
“That’s-” Cas was suddenly interrupted  
“You have quite a lot of guns” Dean pointed over at the wall “I’m a collector myself, mind if I take a look?”  
“Not at all” Lucifer smiled in an eerily comforting way.   
Dean, keeping a wary eye on Lucifer, stood up and studied the guns as Castiel kept up small talk.  
Dean opened the cabinet and noticed a thick layer of dust on every shelf. Or, rather, almost every shelf. One of the guns was a little off balance, and in front, on the shelf there was no dust.  
“That’s a little weird” Dean thought to himself   
He picked up the gun and examined it, taking a quick glance around, he looked at the barrel. It had been fired recently. The smell was faint, but there.   
“Mr. Morningstar,” he said, turning around “what can you tell me about this gun?”  
A glimmer of confusion passed over Lucifer’s face, before he once again broke out into a smile.  
“This gun,” he took it from Dean “is an 1836 colt. Very rare. In fact, this gun is the very same one that killed your brother.”  
There was a shot  
And then there was silence.  
Cas dashed to his friend’s side, catching him.   
“Dean, stay with me” he turned towards Lucifer “you can’t do this”  
“Actually” Lucifer smirked “I can do whatever I want.”  
Dean put his hand on Cas’s shoulder “leave me, just get him.”   
Castiel had tears in his eyes at this point “no”  
“You better get your friend out of here.” the voice behind him remarked “I don’t think he has much time”

{“Dean… I’m really sorry” Cas ran up after him   
“Don’t mention it Angel” Dean gave a sort of half smile, the kind where you just know he’s being nice for your sake. “It was bound to happen eventually.”   
“But-”  
“No. He deserved everything he got and more, it’s the system that’s wrong.” He cupped Castiel’s face in his hand “Go become that famous detective, k?”  
He walked off towards his car, giving one final salute to Cas before driving away.  
As the car got smaller, and farther away, Cas knew that he was going to do it. He was going to make it.}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let me know if the flashbacks are confusing because lord knows I got confused writing it.


	4. Aftershock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean has been shot by lucifer, and now cas has to deal with the aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flashbacks are in curly brackets {}

“Angel” Meg sighed “you need to sleep. It’s been a week since-”  
Castiel was sitting at his desk, surrounded by papers, a pencil tucked behind each ear, like he had forgotten the first one.   
“No.” he said gruffly “I’m fine”  
Meg moved to leave the room  
“Meg?” Cas raised a hand “Can I ask you something?”  
“Shoot”   
“When you used to…” he paused to find the words, but gave up “where would Lucifer be?”  
“Same place you left him” she leaned in the doorway “he stands his ground”  
“Okay” he got up and grabbed his trench coat off the rack “thank you”  
“Wait” she said, blocking the door “you’re not-”  
“I am.”   
“Angel I’m not gonna let you-”  
“Move.”  
She relented,   
“I should come with you.”  
“I have to settle this alone”  
“According to who?” She crossed her arms   
“Fine” he tossed her a gun “don’t mess anything up”  
“Since when do I ever?” she caught it with ease.   
“Let’s hail a cab,” Cas said, stepping outside.  
Meg shook her head “he’ll expect that, we’re taking my car.”  
“But won’t he recognize it?”  
“I was a minor Azazel loyalist, there isn’t a snowball’s chance he’ll remember me.”  
Castiel hesitantly got in the passenger’s seat  
“Back” Meg slipped into the driver’s seat  
“What?”  
“Backseat” Meg pointed behind them “And get down. If I’m getting you in there I don’t want my car shot up.”  
He clambered into the backseat.

They pulled up in front of the building   
“Alright, just checking, are you sure you want to do this?” Meg turned back at him  
“Positive”  
“Okay. I’m not going in, I’d prefer to not be on the top 10 most wanted, but you go”  
He climbed out of the car and poked his head through the passenger window  
“Meg, thank you.”   
“No problem” she cracked a smile “give me a call when you’re done if you’re still alive”  
“Will do.” Cas turned towards the building and took a deep breath. He pulled out his gun and walked inside.

{Castiel stood at a payphone, counting each ring. It rang 8 times before anyone picked up.  
“Hello?” a tired voice said through the speaker “who is it?”  
“It’s me, Dean,” he leaned against the phone “I need some help”  
“Again?” Dean laughed, but he sounded concerned “alright sit tight, where are you?”  
“Corner of 27th and South Harding”   
“I’ll be right there”   
Dean was the only one he could count on for a long time. The two of them had been through hell together and came out on top. It was only after Dean opened the bar that they really stopped talking.  
There wasn’t a fight so much as a misunderstanding. Still, they were there for each other. They had to be. With Sam on the dark side, they didn’t have a choice.   
Dean drove up next to Cas   
“Hey there little lady”  
“Just drive” Castiel said, getting in the car.  
“Everything all right?”  
“Yes.” Cas was avoiding eye contact again.  
“You can’t keep doing this”  
“I’m not doing anything”  
Dean sighed.   
“I’m serious.” he continued driving “I’m the one that’s supposed to be getting in trouble, not you.”  
“I’m serious too. I’m fine.”  
They drove in silence until they reached the dorms.  
“I’ll walk you up” Dean said  
Cas almost protested, but he wanted the company. Plus, Dean had an umbrella, and it was pouring.  
The pair stood at the door to the building.  
Dean suddenly pulled Cas in for a hug  
“Don’t do anything I would do, Angel” he whispered “don’t fuck this up for yourself.”  
He let him go and walked back to the car.}

Castiel remembered that night as he walked into the MorningStar Industries building.   
He had his gun ready, but there was no one in sight. He carefully made his way up the stairs to Lucifer’s office, but it was dark.  
Cas entered the room, scanning for a sign, for anything,  
“You’re late” The lights flipped on to reveal Lucifer standing at his desk, a bottle of scotch in his hand “I honestly expected you the day after, but no, you waited a week. How interesting”  
He gestured at the cups on the table “drink?”  
“I’m not here to talk”  
“Obviously” Lucifer poured himself a glass. “I assume you’re here to kill me, vengeance and all that.”  
“That’s…” Cas couldn’t think of anything cool to say “yes, that’s why I’m here.”  
“nothing good comes out of this for you” the billionaire carefully sipped his drink “I’m a very beloved man in the eyes of the law. All those donations, you know.”  
The detective nodded “I don’t care.”  
“That’s your choice then.”   
There was quiet for a moment  
“But” Lucifer said “would Dean really want you to do this?”  
Castiel raised his gun again  
“No. he wouldn’t.”

{He had really done it this time. Too excited, gone too far, it wasn’t even his case.  
Cas looked down. He was bleeding.   
He had nowhere to go. He could call in for backup- but he’d get punished for confronting the guy. There was only one thing he could do.  
He could call Dean.  
But he didn’t. He didn’t need Dean’s disapproving stare, his attempts to talk, he didn’t need that. The only thing Cas needed was a way out. So he found one himself. He dragged himself home and bandaged his leg up. It was lonely but he liked it that way. No judgement, no offers to help. Just Cas alone in his room.}

Castiel walked out of the building, and already he could hear the sirens rounding the corner. He ran down a few blocks and rang Meg.  
“About time, I was almost ready to plan your funeral”   
“Yeah, whatever,” he frantically looked around “I’m on my way back right now”  
“Okay, should I lock down the office?”   
“No, I’ve actually got somewhere I need to stop first” He sighed “if they come by say you-”  
“That I haven’t seen you all day, I know the drill.”  
“Thanks Meg”  
“It’s what I’m here for, I guess”

He hung up the phone and slipped into an alleyway. It took long enough, but eventually Cas ended up in front of the familiar big gray building that always seemed so cold.  
He took a deep breath and walked inside.


	5. Goodbyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> who is deceased???

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally thought I posted this already, oops!

Castiel sat in the hard plastic chair, listening to the beeping of the machine, watching Dean breathe.  
He couldn’t stay long, they’d catch up to him eventually, but he didn’t want to leave him. Not like this.   
He rummaged in one of his coat pockets for a pen and picked up the pad of paper by the side of the hospital bed. He stared at it, as if he expected words to appear magically.  
Cas looked anxiously at the door, half expecting a cop to walk in, but instead it was just a nurse.  
“You’re the patient’s brother?” she asked kindly.  
“Uh.. yes, that’s me” it felt weird saying that. “Why?”  
“We have news”  
Those three words created a feeling of dread in the pit of Castiel’s stomach.   
“O-” he cleared his throat “okay, what is it?”  
The nurse smiled “he’s getting better. If he wakes up within the next day or so he’s likely to make a full recovery”  
“That’s great” Cas was immediately relieved “thank you”  
“My pleasure” she smiled again and walked out of the room.

Outside, a familiar man in a black and red suit was at the welcome desk   
“I’m here to see my nephew.” he said smoothly “his name is Dean Winchester”  
“Room 93” the welcome girl handed him a visitor’s pass “have a nice day!”  
“I will.” he said “trust me, I will”

Castiel furiously scribbled down every word that came into his head on the pad of paper, every emotion from the past 5 years flowing onto the page, and at the top, the most legible phrase.  
‘I’m sorry’   
Every so often he’d glance up at his comatose friend before putting his head back down and writing even more.  
He was interrupted by a knock on the door.  
“I figured you’d be here.”   
“Crowley.” Cas didn’t even have to lift his head  
“Correct” the crime boss continued “you know, I really have to thank you”  
“For what?” Castiel looked up   
“You killed Lucifer. You won the war for me. If only I had known it was that easy.” he looked the detective up and down “unfortunately, neither of us are very popular with the law right now.”  
“How did you even get in here?”  
“Unimportant. What I’m trying to say is, if you need a job…”  
“No.” Cas said quickly “I did what I had to do, I’m not one of your lackeys”  
“Fair enough” Crowley moved to leave the room “I really do hope Dean gets better. It’s been so long since I had that little pain in the ass over for dinner.”  
Cas sat there for a second, contemplating following Crowley out and taking the offer. But he knew it wouldn’t end well. Nothing ever does. Plus, he had promised.

{“Cas, this time I mean it. You can’t do this” Dean was trying not to show exactly how angry he was “I lost Sam, I lost Jo, I’m not losing you too.”  
“Sam’s not dead and neither am I” Castiel’s voice was cold “and I don’t plan on it, either, so leave me alone”  
He moved to walk out the door, but Dean gripped his arm  
“I can’t let you die out there.” He shut the door with his other hand “I couldn’t stop anyone else, you’re my last hope. Just stay”  
Cas looked around the room “fine.” he sighed “I’ll stay one night, but tomorrow I’m going to Ruby and taking that job.”  
Dean relaxed, but didn’t drop his arm. “I’m making coffee. Don’t go anywhere.”  
A few minutes later, they were sitting in Dean’s living room on the old, battered, couch that was probably older than both of them.   
It was quiet. There were words hanging in the air that nobody seemed to want to say.  
“I’m sorry” Cas said, almost in a whisper. “I am.”  
“For what?”  
“For failing. For dropping out. For ‘going dark side’” he took a deep breath “I’m sorry.”  
Dean slid a little closer. “I’m sorry too.”  
Cas looked at him, confused. “You didn’t do anything”  
“Of course I did.” Dean looked up “I put too much pressure on you, I judged you, I stopped you from making your own decisions.”  
“You did do that” Cas laughed despite himself “but I forgive you”  
“I forgive you too” Dean slipped his hand into Castiel’s and held it up. “Let’s never do this again”  
“Agreed”}

“I’m never doing this again” Cas whispered. He sat there for a minute, basking in the feeling of the memory, but he could hear the sirens, so he stood up and rushed towards the door.  
“Angel?”  
He carefully turned around, convinced for a second he was hallucinating, but no, there was Dean, sitting up straight.  
“What happened?”  
Cas suddenly dashed over to the side of Dean’s bed and hovered over his face for a second  
“What the hell are you doing?”   
“What I should’ve done a long time ago” Cas pressed his lips to Dean’s for a second. “We have to get out of here”  
“Whoa, Cas, I kinda need some time to adjust” Dean said, pulling out his IV “where are we going, and why?”  
“I may have attempted some vengeance” Castiel peered out the window “and by that, I mean killed Lucifer”  
“Cas…”  
“Don’t” he threw some clothes at Dean “he shot you, what was I supposed to do?”  
“I-” Dean was at a loss for words “okay?”   
“Okay? That’s it?”   
“Do you want me to be mad? Because I’m honestly kinda impressed”  
Cas was surprised “are you coming?”  
“Of course I’m coming, what, you think you’re going to kiss me and ditch me?” Dean shook his head “I’m not that easy to get rid of.”

One month later Dean was in the driver’s seat of an old ford, eating a sandwich.  
“You’re sure,” Cas said into the pay phone “alright, well let me know if that changes. I’ll call you when we get there.”   
“And that was…?”  
“Meg” he stated, hanging up the phone “Crowley’s actually been improving the city, whether accidentally or not.”   
“Huh” Dean said between bites of sandwich “who’da thought?”  
Castiel opened the passenger seat door and sat down “so where are we going?”  
“I was under the impression you had a plan”  
Cas pulled out a map “how about New Jersey?”  
“Too many people” Dean pointed to the wanted poster taped to the pay phone “you’re all over the papers, Angel. No, I know a place”  
“Where?”  
“How’s South Dakota sound?”

Bonus:  
There was a knock on the door early in the morning  
“Who on earth would that be?” Bobby grumbled as he meandered towards the door “it’s too damn early-”  
He opened the door to see Dean and Cas standing there, grinning awkwardly.  
“Idjits” Bobby shook his head “what did you do now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah yes, my favorite trope written exactly the same way over and over again, a very good choice.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! there will be more cliffhangers.  
> this is because I am Bastard(tm)


End file.
